Bengaluru, Feb 27 (NationPress) D.K. Shivakumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and President of the State Congress, made a statement on Friday urging party legislators to refrain from traveling to Delhi on his behalf. He emphasized that there was no intention of demonstrating strength amidst rising rumors regarding a leadership conflict within the state unit.

His comments are particularly noteworthy as several of his supporters have been advocating for intervention from the party leadership and reportedly seeking a chance for him to ascend to the state’s highest office.

Speaking to reporters at a private venue and later at the Gayatri Vihar in Palace Grounds, Shivakumar stated, “I urge everyone not to go to Delhi on my behalf. If you have personal concerns, wish to become a minister, or seek any role or responsibility, you may go and express your wishes. However, no one should go for my sake.”

In response to inquiries about reports of over 40 MLAs gathering under the guise of Congress MLA H. C. Balakrishna’s birthday party and if this constituted a show of strength, he remarked, “There is no such show of strength. Some individuals travel abroad for leisure or education, some go to Delhi, and others participate in dinner meetings. These are their individual affairs and have no connection to the party.”

When questioned about certain MLAs suggesting he should become Chief Minister, Shivakumar indicated he was unaware of such claims. “None have discussed this with me. Some individuals have their ambitions. Newcomers naturally want to ascend to ministerial positions.

“Veteran leaders like myself, Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H. K. Patil, Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have become seasoned figures now. We held ministerial roles at a young age, and now newcomers are expressing their aspirations. We will see about this. I will inform the party leadership in Delhi about this matter,” he stated.

In light of the Cabinet’s decision regarding recruitment for various positions, Shivakumar mentioned that despite the government introducing new reservation policies, it had opted to fill 56,000 positions in the initial phase under the previous reservation framework in accordance with a 2022 court ruling.

“We have assured employment to the youth, and we intend to keep that promise. Over one lakh positions need to be filled. If all recruitments are conducted simultaneously, some individuals might miss out, so this process will occur in phases. We will adhere to the court’s directives and utilize legal provisions to fill the vacancies. A total of 2.84 lakh vacant posts will be filled gradually,” he explained.

Regarding potential drinking water shortages in the summer, Shivakumar noted that the Cabinet has sanctioned the Cauvery Phase VI drinking water initiative. “Considering Bengaluru’s future growth, this project is being implemented at a financial outlay of Rs 7,000 crore. We are seeking assistance from the JICA agency. Since my appointment as a minister, authorization was granted to supply 6 TMC of Cauvery water to Bengaluru,” he added.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Ajay Singh addressed the dinner meeting organized by a faction of ruling party MLAs, stating that such gatherings are not uncommon.

“Dinner meetings have been a tradition for a long time. We regularly hold dinner meetings and other events. If 20 individuals come together to express their views, it is a reflection of their opinions. In a democracy, opinions carry weight. MLA Balakrishna has also mentioned that they will comply with the high command’s decision,” he remarked.

He further added that instead of fixating on leadership matters, legislators should prioritize securing between Rs 25 crore and Rs 50 crore for developmental initiatives in their constituencies.

Ajay Singh is the son of the late former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh.